Charles Dance
Walter Charles Dance OBE (born 10 October 1946) is an English actor, screenwriter, and director. He typically plays strict, authoritarian characters or villains. He is best known for his roles as Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones, Kitchener in The King's Man, Martin Benson in Amazon Prime's The Widow, Lord Mountbatten in Netflix's The Crown (for which he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series), Thomas in Underworld: Awakening and Underworld: Blood Wars, Harold Fillmore in Ghostbusters (2016), Mr. Bennet in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Frankenstein in Victor Frankenstein, Master Vampire in Dracula Untold, Conrad Knox in the Cinemax series Strike Back, Raymond Stockbridge in Gosford Park, one-eyed hitman Benedict in Last Action Hero, Clemens in Alien³, Sardo Numpsa in The Golden Child, and Guy Perron in The Jewel in the Crown. He started his career on stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) before appearing in film and television. For his services to drama, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in 2006. He made his directorial film debut with the drama film Ladies in Lavender (2004), which he also wrote and executive produced.
Known For
Credits
- 2025 · Wildcat as Frasier Mahoney
- 2025 · Frankenstein as Leopold Frankenstein
- 2024 · The Day of the Jackal as Timothy Winthrop
- 2024 · Testament: The Story of Moses as Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2023 · Rabbit Hole as Dr. Ben Wilson
- 2022 · The Serpent Queen as Clement VII
- 2022 · The Sandman as Roderick Burgess
- 2021 · The King's Man as Kitchener
- 2020 · Rise of Empires: Ottoman as Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2019 · Godzilla: King of the Monsters as Alan Jonah
- 2019 · The Widow as Martin Benson
- 2016 · Underworld: Blood Wars as Thomas
- 2016 · The Crown as Lord Mountbatten
- 2016 · Ghostbusters as Harold Fillmore
- 2016 · Me Before You as Stephen Traynor
- 2015 · Victor Frankenstein as Frankenstein
- 2015 · Child 44 as Major Grachev
- 2014 · The Imitation Game as Commander Denniston
- 2014 · Dracula Untold as Master Vampire
- 2012 · Underworld: Awakening as Thomas
- 2011 · Celebrity Antiques Road Trip as Self - Participant
- 2011 · Game of Thrones as Tywin Lannister
- 2010 · The Commuter as The Traffic Warden
- 2010 · Strike Back as Conrad Knox
- 2008 · Merlin as Aredian
- 2007 · Would I Lie to You? as Self
- 2006 · Jam and Jerusalem as Self
- 2006 · The One Show as Self
- 2005 · Bleak House as Mr. Tulkinghorn
- 2004 · Agatha Christie's Marple as Septimus Bligh
- 2004 · Who Do You Think You Are? as Self
- 2002 · Foyle's War as Guy Spencer
- 2002 · Top Gear as Self
- 2001 · Gosford Park as Raymond Stockbridge
- 1997 · Trial & Retribution as
- 1994 · Room 101 as Self
- 1992 · Alien³ as Clemens
- 1986 · The Flying Doctors as Minister
- 1985 · Screen Two as Paul Hatcher
- 1983 · Natural World as
- 1979 · Tales of the Unexpected as Robert Smythe
- 1978 · An Audience with... as Self
- 1977 · The Professionals as Parker
- 1974 · Playhouse as Siegfried Sassoon
- 1970 · Play for Today as
- 1965 · BBC Play of the Month as Borghejm
- Future · Ladies First as
- 2025 · World of Westeros Ambient Video as Tywin Lannister
- 2024 · Renaissance: The Blood and the Beauty as Old Michaelangelo
- 2024 · Hammer: Heroes, Legends and Monsters as Narrator
- 2022 · Lancaster as Narrator (voice)
- 2021 · The Book Of Vision as Dr. Johan Anmuth
- 2021 · The Magic of the Movies: Behind the Scenes of David Fincher's Mank as Self
- 2019 · Master Moley by Royal Invitation as Mr. James Moley (voice)
- 2019 · Fanny Lye Deliver'd as John Lye
- 2018 · Happy New Year, Colin Burstead as Uncle Bertie
- 2018 · Spitfire as Narrator (voice)
- 2018 · Euphoria as Mr. Daren
- 2017 · That Good Night as The Visitor
- 2016 · Despite the Falling Snow as Old Alexander Ivanov
- 2015 · Game of Thrones The IMAX Experience as Tywin Lannister
- 2014 · Retrospective as Jonathan Hoyle
- 2014 · Forbidden Empire as Lord Dudley
- 2013 · Patrick as Doctor Roget
- 2013 · Justin and the Knights of Valour as Legantir (voice)
- 2012 · Midnight's Children as William Methwold
- 2011 · There Be Dragons as Solono
- 2010 · Drama Trails as
- 2007 · The Contractor as DCS Andrew Windsor
- 2007 · Intervention as Private Investigator
- 2006 · Starter for 10 as Michael Harbinson
- 2005 · Titanic: Birth of a Legend as Narrator (voice)
- 2004 · Saint John Bosco Mission to Love as Marchese Clementi
- 2002 · Dan Dare: Pilot of the Future as Colonel Simon Lasker (voice)
- 2002 · The Making of Gosford Park as Self (uncredited)
- 2001 · Dark Blue World as Wing Commander Bentley
- 1998 · Hilary and Jackie as Derek Du Pré
- 1998 · What Rats Won't Do as Gerald Burton Jr
- 1997 · The Blood Oranges as Cyril
- 1997 · In the Presence of Mine Enemies as Captain Richter
- 1997 · Rebecca as Maxim de Winter
- 1996 · Michael Collins as Soames
- 1996 · Space Truckers as Nabel / Macanudo
- 1996 · Undertow as Lyle Yates
- 1995 · The Surgeon as Dr. Ed Mittlesbay
- 1994 · China Moon as Rupert Munro
- 1990 · The Phantom of the Opera as The Phantom of the Opera
- 1988 · First Born as
- 1988 · Pascali's Island as Anthony Bowles
- 1987 · Out on a Limb as Gerry Stamford
- 1985 · Plenty as Raymond Brock
- Future · The Liar as Tickford
- 1974 · The Inheritors as Simon Leadbetter
- Future · Viy 3: Travel to India as
- 2026 · The Big Fat Quiz of Telly as Self - Guest
- 2025 · Creditors as Gustaf
- 2024 · Samaná Sunrise as Noah Blum
- 2024 · The Big Fat Quiz of Telly as Self
- 2024 · Rumours as Edison Wolcott
- 2024 · The First Omen as Father Harris
- 2023 · Savage Waters as
- 2022 · Portrait of the Queen as
- 2022 · This England as Max Hastings
- 2022 · The Hanging Sun as Jacob
- 2022 · Against the Ice as Minister Neergaard
- 2021 · Moley as Mr. Moley (voice)
- 2020 · Mank as William Randolph Hearst
- 2020 · The Singapore Grip as Mr Webb
- 2019 · Iron Mask as Lord Dudley
- 2018 · The Little Drummer Girl as Commander Picton
- 2018 · Johnny English Strikes Again as Agent Seven
- 2018 · Hang Ups as Jeremy Pitt
- 2018 · The Muppets Take The O2 as Self
- 2018 · The Woman in White as Frederick Fairlie
- 2017 · Wimbledon Official Film 2017 as Narrator (voice)
- 2016 · Savage Kingdom as Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2016 · Pride and Prejudice and Zombies as Mr. Bennet
- 2015 · And Then There Were None as Justice Lawrence Wargrave
- 2015 · Childhood's End as Karellen
- 2015 · Instruments of Darkness as Duncan
- 2015 · Deadline Gallipoli as Sir Ian Hamilton
- 2015 · Woman in Gold as Sherman
- 2015 · Admiral as King Charles II
- 2014 · The Great Fire as Lord Denton
- 2013 · The Science of Doctor Who as Self
- 2013 · Speeches That Shook the World as Self
- 2013 · Father's Day as Don
- 2013 · The Relics of Buddha as Narrator (voice)
- 2012 · Secret State as John Hodder
- 2012 · The Door as Thomas Arlington
- 2012 · The Mapmaker as Rowan
- 2012 · St George's Day as Trenchard
- 2011 · Rosamunde Pilcher: Shades of Love-The Scandal as
- 2011 · Rosamunde Pilcher: Shades of Love-The Reunion as
- 2011 · Neverland as Dr. Fludd
- 2011 · Rosamunde Pilcher's Shades of Love as Edmund Aird
- 2011 · Your Highness as King Tallious
- 2011 · Ironclad as Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury
- 2010 · Rosamunde Pilcher: Shades of Love-A Healing Heart as
- 2010 · Rosamunde Pilcher: Shades of Love-Family Secret as
- 2010 · Paris Connections as Aleksandr Borinski
- 2010 · Going Postal as Lord Vetinari
- 2010 · The Clerk's Tale as Ralph
- 2009 · Trinity as Dr. Edmund Maltravers
- 2008 · Dickens' Secret Lover as Self - Narrator (voice)
- 2007 · Consenting Adults as Jack Wolfenden
- 2007 · Fallen Angel as David Byfield
- 2007 · The 50 Greatest Television Dramas as Self
- 2006 · Twice Upon a Time as Battar Master of Ceremonies
- 2006 · Scoop as Mr. Malcolm
- 2005 · To the Ends of the Earth as Sir Henry Somerset
- 2005 · Fingersmith as Mr. Chistopher Lilly
- 2005 · Last Rights as Richard Wheeler
- 2003 · Wreckage and Rage: Making 'Alien³' as Self (archive footage)
- 2003 · Henry VIII as Edward Stafford
- 2003 · Swimming Pool as John Bosload
- 2002 · Black and White as Roderic Chamberlain
- 2002 · Ali G Indahouse as Deputy Prime Minister David Carlton
- 2001 · Alien Evolution as Self / Clemens
- 2001 · Jurij as
- 2001 · The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby as Ralph Nickleby
- 2000 · Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) as
- 2000 · Murder Rooms: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes as Sir Henry Carlyle
- 1999 · Chrono-Perambulator as James 'Dougie' Douglas
- 1999 · Don't Go Breaking My Heart as Frank
- 1994 · Shortcut to Paradise as Quinn
- 1994 · Kabloonak as Robert Flaherty
- 1993 · Century as Professor Mandry
- 1993 · Last Action Hero as Benedict
- 1992 · La valle di pietra as Surveyor
- 1989 · Goldeneye as Ian Fleming
- 1988 · First Born as Edward Forester
- 1988 · Out of the Shadows as Michael Hayden
- 1987 · White Mischief as Josslyn Hay
- 1987 · Hidden City as James Richards
- 1987 · Good Morning, Babylon as D.W. Griffith
- 1986 · The Golden Child as Sardo Numspa
- 1986 · The McGuffin as Paul Hatcher
- 1985 · Time for Murder as James Latimer
- 1984 · Rainy Day Women as John Truman
- 1984 · The Jewel in the Crown as Guy Perron
- 1982 · Little Eyolf as Borghejm
- 1981 · For Your Eyes Only as Claus
- 1980 · Fatal Spring as Siegfried Sassoon
- 1980 · Dreams of Leaving as Colin
- 1977 · Raffles as
- 1974 · Father Brown as
- Future · A Patriot as Dr. Hastings




